In certain known refrigerators, a condenser, a compressor, and an evaporator are individually built into a refrigeration cabinet. In these refrigerators, removal of any one of the condenser, the compressor, or the evaporator for maintenance or replacement would result in significant downtime. Also, a highly-skilled refrigeration technician would be required to attend at the refrigerator, resulting in significant maintenance costs. Accordingly, refrigeration units are known in which the condenser, the compressor and the evaporator are positioned on a base, for relatively easier installation and removal. For example, a refrigeration unit of the prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,929 (Bauman et al.).
Refrigerators of the evaporation type are known in which a known refrigeration unit is installed in the refrigeration cabinet and the refrigeration unit is insulated by insulated wall segments. Typically, the refrigeration cabinet includes a condenser chamber (in which the condenser and the compressor are located) which is in fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere, and an insulated cabinet chamber. An evaporator is typically located in the cabinet chamber, to cool air in the cabinet chamber.
Although removal and installation of the known refrigeration units is generally easier and faster than removal and replacement of individual components, known refrigeration units have some defects. In general, it is desirable that the refrigeration unit be as easily removable as possible to facilitate maintenance or repair. A substantially air-tight seal is needed between the condenser chamber and the cabinet chamber, to minimize heat transfer into the cabinet chamber. Because of the need for insulation of at least a portion of a refrigeration unit, installation of known refrigeration units in known refrigeration cabinets (and the removal thereof) typically requires the removal and addition of insulation separately. However, the removal and addition of insulation complicates the removal or installation (as the case may be) of the refrigeration unit. In addition, known refrigeration units typically do not include all the components needed for operation, further complicating removal or installation.
Also, depending on the user's requirements, the positioning of the refrigeration unit in the refrigeration cabinet may vary. However, in the prior art, a refrigeration unit is specifically designed for use only in a particular position (e.g., top-mounted, or bottom-mounted; front-loaded or back- or side-loaded) in the refrigeration cabinet. Manufacturing different refrigeration units for different positions in the cabinet, as is known in the art, results in relatively high manufacturing costs per unit.
There is therefore a need for an improved refrigeration unit and an improved refrigerator.